Retractable writing instrument



@et l5, 1957 H. L. CLARY ErAL RETRACTABLE WRITING INSTRUMENT M MM M Mae T mgm. T mmc N05 l... Ln hd G uf HF. J

Filed om. 5, 1953 vla fila

E@ asoman Patented Oct. 15, 1957 RETRACTABLE WRTNG INSTRUMENT Hugh L. Clary, San Marino, and Fred N. Schwend, Monterey Park, Calif., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Flo-Bail ?-Pen Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 5, 1953, Serial No. 333,964

6 Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-42.03)

This invention relates to retractable writing instruments such as pens and pencils wherein the writing tip is selectively advanced to writing position and retracted to a protected position within the barrel.

Such retractable writing instruments generally comprise as part of the advancing-retracting mechanism, a pushbutton located at the upper end of the barrel and effective to advance the writing unit to writing position.

Although such retractable instruments are generally satisfactory, it is necessary when pocketing the same to force the pocket clip downwardly over the outer fabric wall of the pocket, and it is a natural tendency in doing so to press directly down on the top of the barrel or, in the case of pens containing pushbuttons, directly on such button. Such action tends to advance the writing unit. 1f the writing tip is advanced far enough, the latter can engage the interior of the pocket, not only soiling the cloth, but picking up lint and dirt which may aect the writing quality as well as possibly latching in advanced writing position.

The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the above-noted defects.

Another object is to provide a retractable writing instrument in which means other than an axially movable pushbutton on the upper end of the barrel is provided to advance and retract the writing unit.

Another object is to provide a retracting writing instrument wherein the writing unit may be of a maximum length.

Another object is to provide an advancing-retracting mechanism for a writing instrument which is simple and economical to manufacture and assemble, having a minimum number of parts.

The structure of the present invention comprises a housing having an opening in its forward end through which the writing tip may be advanced. At the rearward portion of the housing there is an opening for an actuator means which is mounted for pivotal forward and pivotal rearward movement relative to said barrel. On pivotal forward movement, the slide of a movable writing means is engaged by the actuator means and the entire writing means is moved forwardly until the writing tip is in advanced position, at which time the writing means is latched in advanced position. The actuator means is then pivoted rearwardly to reset position and, upon subsequent forward pivotal movement thereof, the actuator means will trip the latch and allow retraction of the writing means. A

The manner in which the above and other objects of the invention are accomplished will be readily understood on reference to the following specification and claims when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of a ball point pen embodying a preferred form of the present invention and illustrating the writing unit in retracted position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig; 1 but illustrating the actuator button forced inwardly and the writing unit in its advanced writing position.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but with parts broken away and illustrating the actuator button and writing unit in the positions occupied thereby in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 3 but with parts broken away and showing the actuator button forced inward as an incident to retraction of the writing unit from writing position.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the writing unit held in advanced writing position and the actuator button released.

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 7 7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 8 8 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view illustrating a modified form of the present invention including a combined actuator and clip member.

Referring in particular to Figs. 1 8, the pen shown therein comprises a hollow barrel section 11 of plastic material which tapers downwardly and terminates in a conical barrel tip 12, preferably of metal. The tip is provided with a linurled shank 13 which is forced into the bore of the barrel, Ithe latter being removably threaded at its upper end onto a connector sleeve 14 which is forced into 'the lower end of a thin sheet metal cap section 15. A short portion of the upper end of the barrel 11 is reduced in diameter to provide an abutting shoulder for the lower end of the cap section 15 which extends forwardly of the engaging surface of the sleeve 14.

A writing unit, generally indicated at 16, is mounted to move lengthwise in the bore of the barrel, being slidably mounted at its forward end in a bore formed in the barrel tip 12 and its rear end in a bore formed in the sleeve 14. The writing unit comprises a ball writing tip 17 rotatably mounted in a socket (not shown) formed in the forward end of an ink feeding tube section 1S which is integral at the upper end thereof with an ink reservoir tube 2). The latter is filled with a relatively thick viscous ink which is transmitted by the tube section 18 to the surface of the ball.

The writing unit 16 is urged upwardly toward its retracted position shown in Figs. l and 2 by a compression spring 21, surrounding the tube 20. The spring is seated at its lower end on the upper end of the barrel tip shank 12 and at its upper end on an enlargement 22 formed in the tube 21.

A pocket clip 23 of resilient sheet metal material is mounted on the side of the cap section 1S of the barrel. As seen in Figs. l, 3 and 5, the upper end of the clip 23 is bent back upon itself to form a-semi-cylindrical bearing surface 24 and terminates in a locking tip 2S tted in an opening 26 in the side of the cap section.

The upper part of pocket clip 23 extends into rectangular opening 30 in the cap section 15. The latter opening receives an actuator or presser button 31 having two side anges 32. Each side flange has a semi-circular bearing portion 33 tted over the upper rounded portion 24 of the clip, thereby constituting a pivotal support for the actuator button. An upper wall 34 of the actuator button extends concentric about the point of rotation of the latter and engages the upper edge of the opening Si) to retain the presser in place on the support 24.

The actuator button 31 is normally held in its outer position illustrated in Fig. 1 by a torsion spring 27 having one leg thereof engaging the upper wall 34 and the other leg engaging the inner surface of the cap portion 15. The actuator button is limited in outward movement by projections which extendupwardly from the side anges and engage the inner surface of the cap section 15.

One of the flanges 32 comprises a camming foot 35 engageable with a shelf 36 formed on a slide 37. The slide is bifurcated to'straddle the upper en d of the writing unit 16,`the legs 3S-of the slide being guided in diametrically opposed, longitudinally extending slots 40 formed The latch spring 41 is exed radially'and transversely during successive depressions of the actuator button 31 and constitutes a latch for latching the slide 37, and consequently` the writing unit, in advanced writing position. Forl this purpose,'the latch spring is formed to comprise a latching shoulder 44 and an inclined cam surface if 45 directly thereabove. The latch spring is normally prestressed to press radially against a shoulder 46 (see also Fig. 7') formed on the shelf 36 ofv slide 37.

The latch spring has an upward extension 49 adapted to be engaged by a lug 47 extending from the upper wall 34 ofthe actuator button, whereby to move the spring radially outward as an incident to retraction of the writing unit as will be apparent later. It should be noted, however, that when the parts are in their normal positions shown in Fig. 1, the terminus of lug 47 is spaced from the spring extension 49 as indicated at 39.

Assuming the writing unit to be in its retracted position shown in Fig. 1; when it is desired to'advance the writing unit to writing position the actuator button is depressed toward its position shown in Fig. 3, and during the ensuing rocking movement thereof its foot 35 becomes effective to depress the slide 37, forcing the writing Vunit to advance downwardly. As the slide moves downwardly, the shelf 36 engages the camming surface 45 on the latch spring, camming the latter laterally, i. e., to the left in Fig. 2. During such lateral movement the spring vrearward trigger extension 49 misses the lug 47 due tothe Voriginal spiace V39 between these parts. As the writing unit reaches its advanced position shown in Fig. 3, the shelf 36 of the slide passes below the latching shoulder 44, permitting the latch spring to retract to the right partially to the position shown in Fig. 4 where the extension 49.engages the side of lug 47 on the actuator button. The shoulder 44 will, in this condition, however, be effective to latch the slide, and consequently the writing unit in advanced position. As pressure is released from the actuator button, permitting the spring 27 to retract the same, the lug 47 passes from engagement with the extension 49, permitting the spring 41 to move transversely to the right to its fully latched position shown in Fig. 6 wherein the extension 49 again lies directly in front of the lug 47.

When it is again desired to retract the writing unit, the actuator button 31 is again depressed. During this movement, the lug 47 will directly engage the next spring extension 49, forcing the spring radially outward, i. e., to

the right in Figs. .1 andv 5, until the latching shoulder 44 thereof passes beyond atshoulder 54 (see also Fig. 7) of the shelf 36 as shown in Fig. 5, thereby permitting the spring V21 to retract the writing unit and slide when finger pressure is subsequently released from the actuator button. Consequently, Vthe parts will resume their fully retracted positionsv shown in Fig. 1. Y

In assembling thefpartsY in the pen, the pocket clip is first mounted on the cap section 15, but the locking tip 25 is sprung inward toward,V the center of the pen and the clip is then moved downwardly to the limit of its movement. The actuator button isV then tted in place over.v the pvotfstf10n-24af the Clip- The Clip is then mai/edf upwardl-rfumil. the lacking; tip 25- engages the opening 26 to retain the actuator button in place. The

slide 37 and latch spring 41 are then fitted on the connector sleeve and the latter is forced into place in the cap section 15.

Fig. 9 illustrates a modied form of the invention wherein the pocket clip 23 is formed integrally with an actuator button member 31 similar in construction to the corresponding actuator button 31 shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 7. The corresponding slide, writing unit, etc., has been deleted in Fig. 9 for the purpose of clarity, but is the same as the corresponding elements shown in Figs. 1 to 8.

ln this case a bearing member 50 is provided to pivotally support the actuator button. The bearing member comprises a strip of sheet metal bent back upon itself to form a semi-cylindrical bearing section 51 and a latch tip 52 which is tted within an opening in the side of the cap member 1K5 to lockV the bearing member in place. The bearing section 51k'fits correspondingly shaped bearing portions formed` in the side anges ofthe actuator button to pivotally support the latter.

Having thus described the invention, what we desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A writing instrument comprising a housing having a forward' end openingand a side wall opening, movable writing means having a writing tip at its forward end mounted within said housing f or movement between a rearward retracted position and a forward advancedV position wherein said writing tip extends through said forward end opening, manual actuator means mounted for pivotal forward and; pivotal rearward movement relative to said housing through said side wall opening, said actuator means having a part adapted to engage said writing means uponk forward pivotal movement of the actuator to move saidwritingl means toadvanced position, latch means spring biased to engage with said movable means for` holding it in advanced position, and said actuator means having latch releasing means adapted to engage with said latch means upon subsequent forward pivotal movement to release said latchV means.

2. A writing instrument comprising a housing having a forward end opening. and a side wall opening, movable writing means having a slide and a writing unit with a writing tip at its forward endmounted within said housing for movement between a rearward .retracted position and a forward advanced position wherein said writing tip extends through said forward end opening, means for biasing saidmovable writing means torretracted` position, manual actuator means pivotally mountedV on said housing for rockable movement inwardly and outwardly relative to said housing, springrneans biasing said actuator means outwardly,saida tuator means havinga carnnnng foot which upon pivotal forward movement engages said slide to movetsaiid movable means toY advanced position, latch means mounted onk said housing andV having a rearward trigger extension, an intermediatek camming surface, and a forward latching shoulder, said latchmeans being biased to a position wherein said latching shoulder is in the path yof movement of said sli d esaid slide having a part adapted to engagesaid camming surface upon forward movement of the slide to move said latchmeans out of the path of forward movement of said slide to enable forward movement ofv said slideV past said camming surface and saidY latching; shoulder whereby'said lat-ching shoulder is biased back to )original positionand abuts the rearward portion of said slide to hold said movable writing means in extended position, said actuator means. having a lug aligned with said trigger extension of said latch means when insaid original position which upon subsequent forward pivotal movement engages said extension and moves said latch means to release said slide from said latching shoulder and allow retraction of Vsaid writing means, saidV lug upon rockable movement outward of the actuator beingV spaced from said triggerk extension to enable movement of said extension by said slide'` out of the path of said lug upon further subsequent advancing forward movement of said actuator means.

3. A writing instrument comprising, in combination, a barrel having a bore terminating in an opening through the forward end of the barrel and provided with a side wall opening adjacent to the rear end of the barrel, a writing unit having a tip, said unit slidably supported within the bore for projection of its tip through the forward end opening of the bore and retraction of its tip rearwardly within the bore, a spring biasing said unit toward its retracted position, an actuator rockably supported within the side wall opening of the barrel for swingable movement therein to an inner rockable position -or to an outer rockable position, a spring interposed between the actuator and the barrel normally biasing the actuator toward its outer rockable position, said actuator having a part adapted to engage the writing unit within the bore to project its unit forwardly when the actuator is swung to its inner rockable position, a spring latch supported within the bore and biased to releasably engage the writing unit when the unit is projected forwardly to hold the unit releasably so projected, said latch disposed when holding the unit forwardly projected to be engaged by the actuator when the actuator is swung to its inner rockable position to be moved to release the writing unit for retraction by its biasing spring.

4. A writing instrument comprising, in combination, a barrel having a bore terminating in an opening through the forward end of the barrel and provided with a side wall opening adjacent to the rear end `of the barrel, a writing unit having a tip, said unit slidably supported within the bore for projection of its tip through the forward end opening of the bore and retraction of its tip rearwardly within the bore, a spring biasing said unit toward its retracted position, an actuator rockably supported within the side wall opening of the barrel for swingable movement therein to an inner rockable position or to an outer rockable position, a spring interposed between the actuator and the barrel normally biasing the actuator toward its outer rockable position, said actuator having a part adapted to engage the Writing unit within the bore to project the unit forwardly when the actuator is swung to its inner rockable position, a spring latch supported within the bore and having a part adapted to engage the writing unit when the unit is projected forwardly to releasably hold the unit forwardly projected, said spring latch having one position in direct line with the rockable movement of the actuator when the writing unit is held forwardly projected by the spring latch, said spring latch having a second position out of direct line with the rockable movement of the actuator when the writing unit is moving forwardly, said latch being spring-biased toward said first position but responsive to forward movement of the writing unit to be moved to the second position.

5. A writing instrument as dened in claim 3 characterized in that the forward edge of the side wall `opening of the barrel is provided with a pivotal support for the actuator and the actuator is swingably mounted upon said support for rockable movement thereover.

6. A writing instrument as dened in claim 3 characterized in that the barrel is provided with a spring pocket clip and such clip has a part folded over the forward edge of the side wall opening through the barrel securing the clip to the barrel, said part being formed to provide a seat forl swingable support of the actuator and the actuator being rockably supported on said seat.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

